Hope Where Least Expected
by Dark Diamond
Summary: Eowyn at Theodreds bedside remembers the past and wanders whether any hope is left. Oneshot. Please R and R!


**I think that Theodred and Eowyn's' story is so sad and I always wander what she was thinking of when she sits next to him while he was dying. So I decided to put it into a fiction! I hope you like!**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, right. All I own are my pretty LOTR posters, and even they're copyright!**

Eowyn clutched tightly at Theodred's hand. It hurt her, even through the icy walls she had built around her heart, to see her cousin like this. All through her childhood she had held on tightly to him and he had guided her. It had been he who had taught her to use the sword, he who had made her life easier when she was low. And now he was dying. They had grown together and watched one another all their lives.

Eowyn and Theodred hurried through the plains. Eowyn carried her cousins' bow, she was determined to do everything her older cousin could do. She ran after him to wherever he was leading her. He had claimed it was a surprise. The bright sun shone brightly and Eowyn enjoyed the feeling of the heat on her shoulders. Suddenly she glanced upwards. The tall grass was over her head. She searched for Theodred laughing, thinking he was playing a game. She could not see him. Feeling a slight feeling of worry prickling in her chest she called out

"_Theodred! Where are you? Theodred!"_

_He did not reply to her. Panicking, she launched through the grasses, calling always for her cousin. Salt tears began to trace a pathway down her face. She broke out of the tall grass and came to an open place. She could no longer see Edoras. She was all alone and was too small to use her only weapon she sat down miserable and allowed her tears to pool in her lap. What if she was stuck here forever and ever? What would she eat? At that moment she heard a voice _

"_Eowyn? Eowyn! Are you there?" _

_A huge smile split her face. She was not going to be left alone after her. Of course Theodred would come back for her_

"_I'm here!" she called back happily, her tears stopping quickly once she saw him bursting out of the grass towards her. He picked her up in a tight embrace_

"_There you are little cousin. You frightened me! My father _and_ yours would have had my head if I had lost you!" _

_she simply hugged him tightly_

"_Come, we will return home." Eowyn pouted convincingly_

"_You promised you would teach me to hunt!" he studied her for a moment and then smiled_

"_Well, I cannot go back on my promise can I? We will hunt."_

Eowyn sighed to herself. Those days were gone. She was utterly alone now. Theoden sank deeper and deeper into a stupor every day, not even caring about the news that his son was dying. Eomer was always gone, fighting, where she wished she was. The days dragged on and little happened except the reports of death. Who was she to turn to? There was nowhere left to run. As they had that day so long ago, her tears fell and ran down her face as her grief and loneliness overpowered her.

The door slid open and Wormtongue entered the room. She turned her face from him, determined that he would not see her cry. He was speaking to her, his poisonous words etching into her head. She turned to him

"Leave me alone, snake!" his lips curled into a smile

"But you are alone. Who knows what you've spoken to the darkness, in the bitter watches of the night, when all hope has faded, and the walls of your bower are closing in around you." She looked at him, and felt fear inside. What he said was true! He reached a hand towards her

"So fair, yet so cold." As soon as he touched her, his spell was broken

"Your words are poison!" she hissed at him before turning and storming from the room.

Eowyn stood alone looking over the plains of Rohan. All hope had faded. A flag tore itself away from its pole and flew off from the castle, as if it too yearned for freedom and only awaited sufficient winds to take it away. She watched its progress. Riding across the plains were three horses and riders. From what she could see their garb was not of Rohan, but somewhere far away. Perhaps there was hope left!

**Hope you liked it, R and R! Let me know what you think.**


End file.
